OKCPHIL program edition 1 for the 24-25 season

CLASSICS

CLASSICS

POPS

CLASSICS

Opening Night with Midori SEPT 21, 2024

The Organ Symphony OCT 12, 2024

From the Highlands NOV 16, 2024

Midori, violin PG. 25

Cameron Carpenter, organ PG. 31

Arrival from Sweden: The Music of ABBA NOV 1-2, 2024 PG. 39

F O R H O USE N OT E S SEE PAG E 2 3 .

Jonathan Ruck, cello Bruce Robertson, bagpipes PG. 43

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JERROD SHOUSE, President Oklahoma Philharmonic Society, Inc. Welcome to the Oklahoma City Philharmonic! We are delighted to welcome our loyal season subscribers, our generous philanthropic partners, and our first-time attendees. The magic of tonight’s concert is made possible by year-round effort, dedicated volunteers, and numerous donors. Since ticket sales only cover a portion of our concert expenses, we extend our deepest gratitude to our donors and volunteers for their invaluable support of our mission.

This year marks the 36th season of the OKCPHIL, where we continue to inspire and bring joy to the community through the beauty of orchestral music. We take pride in our legacy and look forward to an exciting future. A crucial part of our vision is to enrich the cultural fabric of our community and to educate future generations about the profound value of music. In pursuit of this vision, the OKCPHIL is more committed than ever to creating programs and concert experiences that unite our entire community.

Thanks to the expertise and passion of our Music Director, Maestro Alexander Mickelthwate, and our dynamic and dedicated staff led by Executive Director, Brent Hart, this season promises something for everyone. Our Classics, Pops, and Discovery concerts are sure to delight audiences of all ages and tastes. We encourage you to invite someone new to join us at a future concert and help us cultivate the audiences of tomorrow.

On behalf of the entire Oklahoma City Philharmonic family, thank you for being here. We invite you to say “hello” to someone you haven’t met before and look forward to seeing you again soon!

GEETIKA VERMA, President Oklahoma City Orchestra League On behalf of the Oklahoma City Orchestra League, we are thrilled to welcome you to another inspiring year of music.

It is an honor to address you as the President of the Orchestra League.

Our league is a testament to the power of music to inspire, unite, and elevate the human spirit. As we embark on this new season, we are committed to fostering a community that celebrates excellence, innovation, and passion in orchestral music. Where words fail, music begins. It touches us emotionally and spiritually, uniting us in shared feeling and experience.

We invite you to join the league and support our musicians, promote educational initiatives, and bring the joy of orchestral performances to audiences far and wide. Thank you for being a part of this vibrant community. Let’s create harmonious and unforgettable experiences in the year ahead.

JAMES HULSEY, President Associate Board On behalf of the Associate Board, welcome to the OKC Philharmonic’s 2024-2025 Season! This season promises a rich tapestry of musical styles that celebrate diverse cultures and geographies, performed by world-class musicians. We are thrilled to present a lineup that ensures every concert is a journey through community and culture, leaving you with a smile each time!

At the OKCPHIL, the Associate Board is dedicated to fostering community, culture, and connectivity, especially among young professionals. We achieve this through the Overture Society, offering concert packages that includes 3-4 concerts paired with engaging social events. Stay connected with us on social media, explore our Overture web page, and join us for what promises to be an exhilarating season!

Thank you for joining us! Your presence and support at our concerts contribute significantly to the vibrant orchestral music scene in our thriving city. Sit back, 7 relax, and enjoy the show!

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E XECUTIVE DIR ECTOR T

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BRENT HART

Dear Friends of the OKCPHIL, On behalf of the entire OKCPHIL family, welcome to our 2024-25 Season! We are thrilled to present another year of incredible performances and programs as we continue to serve our mission of bringing joy and inspiration through orchestral music to our community.

This season’s Classics Series features an array of inspiring programs, showcasing some of the most beloved works in the classical repertoire. Our concerts will feature a diverse range of instruments, including the organ, bagpipes, and sitar, along with beautiful violin performances by the renowned Midori and Sarah Chang. These compositions draw inspiration from nature, various cultures, and the unique sounds of the instruments themselves. We are excited to welcome Misha Dichter at the piano and Cameron Carpenter at the organ, performing extraordinary concertos. To learn more about the Classics programs, join us in the Concert Hall at 7:00 p.m. before each concert.

A highlight of our season is the World Premiere of American Indian Symphony, a new work by Chickasaw composer Jerod Tate. This symphony introduces native stories from different cultural regions across the country. We hope this piece resonates deeply with you and audiences worldwide. Our Classics Series will culminate with Richard Strauss’ Alpine Symphony, promising a breathtaking musical journey for us all.

The Chickasaw Nation Pops Series offers something for everyone, featuring the iconic music of your favorite artists and blockbuster Broadway musicals. Our cherished holiday tradition, A Very Merry Pops, will feature Ashley Brown and Tony DeSare for a soulful celebration of the season. We are also delighted to welcome back the immensely popular Pink Martini, who last captivated us in 2020!

At the Civic Center Music Hall and throughout our region, OKCPHIL remains committed to making music accessible through our Education and Community Engagement programs. From free outdoor orchestral concerts at Scissortail Park to music education programs and Youth Concerts for elementary school students, our initiatives enrich the lives of thousands of Oklahomans of all ages. Our Society of Strings program supports adult amateur string players, and our Young Musician Competition nurtures the talents of budding musicians.

We are deeply grateful for your ongoing loyalty, support, and generosity, which make all of this possible. Your ticket purchases, season subscriptions, and donations of all sizes enable us to deepen our impact on the community in countless ways.

Thank you for listening to our music, believing in our mission, and supporting us. I look forward to seeing you at our concerts throughout the season!

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ALE XANDER MICKELTHWATE As he prepares for his seventh season leading the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, Maestro Alexander Mickelthwate has become part of the community.

“It’s amazing, and also quite humbling,” Mickelthwate said. “My morning routine usually consists of studying at a local coffee shop. Quite often customers will approach me and say they saw me on television or on the side of a bus. To me, that signifies what we are doing at the OKCPHIL is resonating with the community, and making everyone feel welcome.”

The OKCPHIL has been a source of joy and inspiration for 36 years, enriching Oklahoma and its communities through orchestral music. When Mickelthwate came on board, he brought with him an eagerness to build on the successes of the past and pave the way for the future.

“Oklahoma City should be known as a breeding ground for fun and creativity,” he said. “That’s my thing. In our first season, we were always surprised how the audiences were really open to the contemporary. It’s crazy how embracing the audience is for adventurous, fun new things.”

Born and raised in Frankfurt, Germany, Mickelthwate grew up in a home filled with classical music. He received his degree from the Peabody Institute of Music, and has worked with orchestras in Atlanta, Winnipeg and Los Angeles.

He is Music Director Emeritus of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in Canada, and in 2022, accepted the position of Music Director for the prestigious Bear Valley Music Festival in Bear Valley, California. In early 2023, Mickelthwate traveled to Hanoi where he was Guest Conductor at the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra.

Since he’s been in Oklahoma, Mickelthwate has received numerous awards and honors, including being named three time “The Face of Music” by 405 Magazine. Newspaper OKC Friday named him one of the “Top 50 Most Powerful,” and the Ladies Music Club of Oklahoma City lauded him “Musician of the Year.”

Accolades aside, one of Mickelthwate’s goals is to tell Oklahoma stories through music.

“When I first came to Oklahoma City, I read Sam Anderson’s book, ‘Boom Town,’ and from there I began studying Oklahoma’s colorful history,” he said. “We have so many great stories, and seeing them come to life through music is awe-inspiring. This season, we’ve programmed “World Premiere!” American Indian Symphony by Native American composer Jerod Tate. I want to continue bringing more of these stories to our audiences.”

When he’s not studying music or planning future OKCPHIL concerts, Mickelthwate is Artist in Residence at the University of Central Oklahoma where he enjoys working with the next generation of musicians, and conducting UCO’s symphony orchestra. After the music is over Mickelthwate loves spending time with his two sons, trying to beat them at ping pong, creating adventurous new recipes or improvising together on piano and guitar.

“My personal philosophy is that music has a way of reaching us in a way nothing else does,” Mickelthwate said. “It goes deep inside, creating and facilitating beauty in a harsh world. We want the Oklahoma City Philharmonic to be meaningful, to be fun and a place where we are all one. I have often said we feel the love, Oklahoma City. And we are giving it right back.

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DR . SHANTI SIMON Associate Conductor Dr. Shanti Simon joined the OKCPHIL team in September 2023, programming and conducting the Discovery Family Series concerts. Her engaging personality and lively programming resonate with children of all ages. She also conducts Youth Concerts for elementary school field trips at the Civic Center Music Hall, where thousands of students are captivated by hearing familiar songs performed by a live orchestra. Dr. Simon captures their full attention. This season, she will make her Pops debut conducting “Defying Gravity: Stephen Schwartz & Friends.”

“The OKCPHIL is a world-class orchestra and it is an honor to join this team of engaging professional musicians. We love sharing music with young people in a setting that resonates with their world view. Kids naturally move and engage with music in an uninhibited, inspiring way. They remind us professionals why we got into music in the first place – because music speaks to our souls deeply beyond the boundaries that words can reach. Music makes us want to move, to dance, and to sing. We are looking forward to an exciting season with you and the kids of all ages in your lives!,” said Simon.

In addition to her work with the OKCPHIL, Dr. Simon is the Director of Bands at the University of Oklahoma where she conducts the Wind Symphony and leads the graduate wind conducting program. Prior to joining the faculty at OU, Dr. Simon was the Flight Commander and Associate Conductor with The United States Air Force Academy Band in Colorado Springs. Before moving to Colorado, Simon served as Flight Commander and Associate Conductor with The United States Air Force Band in Washington, D.C., where she conducted performances in the national capital region and around the country including the 2011 National Tree Lighting Ceremony with the Airmen of Note, hosted by President Obama and the First Family. Dr. Simon was on the faculty of Shenandoah Conservatory as the Associate Director of Bands for the 20132014 academic year. In 2016, she deployed to the Middle East with the United States Air Force Central Command bands as the Officer-In-Charge, overseeing musical troop-support, community-outreach and partnership-building missions in seven countries.

Before joining the Air Force, Dr. Simon earned her MM and DMA degrees in conducting from the University of Minnesota where she studied with Craig Kirchhoff. She received her BME and BM degrees from Stetson University with Bobby Adams. Hailing from Florida, Simon served as the Associate Director of Bands at Vero Beach High School for four years, where her ensembles consistently earned top ratings in all areas of district and state assessment. Simon is active nationally and internationally as a guest conductor and clinician.

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O K L A H O M A P H I L H A R M O N I C S O C I E T Y, I N C P R O V I D I N G

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THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS

LIFETIME DIRECTORS

Jerrod Shouse President

Jane B. Harlow Patrick Alexander

Jim Roth President Elect

DIRECTORS

Debbie McKinney Vice President Louise Cleary Cannon Treasurer Jennifer Schultz Secretary Jane Jayroe Gamble Immediate Past President

Tracey Budz Robert Clements Lawrence H. Davis Kevin Dunnington Joy Hammons Kirk Hammons Honorable Jerome A. Holmes James Hulsey Debra Kos

Kristian Kos Tom Lerum Matt Paque Craig Perry Sam Rainbolt Robert Ruiz Kelly Sachs Amalia Miranda Silverstein Doug Stussi Geetika Verma Evan Walter Travis Weedn Wendi Wilson

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF Stephanie Aaron Operations Manager

Kate Furney Marketing Associate

Joel Levine Archivist/Historian

John Allen General Manager

Daniel Hardt Finance Director

Jose Batty Music Librarian

Brent Hart Executive Director

Jenni Shrum Marketing and Public Relations Director

Blossom Crews Director of Development

Judy Hill Office Manager

Jared Davis Patron Services Lead

Chase Kerby Education Manager

Corbin Taggart Marketing and Communications Specialist Valorie Tatge Orchestra Personnel Manager

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Classical KUCO 90.1 Morningstar Properties

Oklahoma City Police Association George Ryan

Stubble Creative, Inc. The Skirvin Hotel

Titan AVL

PHOTOGRAPHERS: Michael Anderson, Jesse Edgar Photography, Simon Hurst, and Shevaun Williams and Associates

THE OKLAHOMA PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY, INC. 424 Colcord Drive, Ste. B • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102 Tickets: (405) 842-5387 • Administration: (405) 232-7575 • Fax: (405) 232-4353 • www.okcphil.org

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A F F I L I AT E D PA R T N E R S

Providing Leadership and Annual Support The Oklahoma City Philharmonic Foundation was established to provide leadership and endowment expertise to help ensure a stable financial base for orchestral music and musical excellence in Oklahoma City for generations to come.

Distributions from the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Foundation provide a meaningful and secure source of annual income for the Philharmonic’s operations, continually confirming the importance of endowment in an organization’s long-range planning and overall success.

Current officers and directors of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Foundation are: OFFICERS

DIRECTORS

Douglas J. Stussi, President Charles E. Wiggin, First Vice President Jeff Starling, Second Vice President Louise Cleary Cannon, Treasurer Alice Pippin, Secretary

Steven C. Agee Patrick B. Alexander J. Edward Barth L. Joe Bradley Andre’ B. Caldwell Teresa L. Cooper Paul Dudman Jane Jayroe Gamble Mischa Gorkuscha

Jane B. Harlow Jean A. Hartsuck Michael E. Joseph Duke R. Ligon Penny McCaleb Erik Salazar Patrick E. Randall, II Richard Tanenbaum

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OFFICERS

Geetika Verma President

James Hulsey President Desiree Singer Immediate Past President Mady Hendryx President-Elect Daniel Karami Secretary Kelsey Karper Marketing Chair Ashleigh Robinson Social Chair Members:

Debra Kos Immediate Past President Rachael Geiger President-Elect Orchestra League Office 424 Colcord Dr., Ste. B Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102 Phone: (405) 232-7575 Fax: (405) 232-4353 e-mail: league@okcphil.org

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ALEXANDER MICKELTHWATE, Music Director and Conductor JOEL LEVINE, Founder and Music Director Emeritus BRENT HART, Executive Director FIRST VIOLIN Yena Lee, Guest Concertmaster, Gertrude Kennedy Chair Marat Gabdullin, Acting Concertmaster Densi Rushing, Assistant Concertmaster Hong Zhu Beth Sievers Chandler Fadero Min Jung Kim Ashley Cooper Lu Deng Lok-Hin Cheng SECOND VIOLIN (open position), Principal, McCasland Foundation Chair (open position), Assistant Principal Seconds listed alphabetically

Sarah Sanford Brown Paulo Eskitch Audrey Lee Corbin Mace Angélica Pereira Catherine Reaves, Assistant Principal Emeritus Sophia Ro Yajing (Cindy) Zhang VIOLA Royce McLarry, Principal Mark Neumann, Assistant Principal Joseph Guevara Kelli Ingels Steve Waddell Donna Cain Brian Frew CELLO Jonathan Ruck, Principal, Orchestra League Chair (open position), Assistant Principal Valorie Tatge Emily Stoops Jim Shelley

Angelika Machnik-Jones Jean Statham Samantha Kerns BASS Anthony Stoops, Principal Larry Moore, Assistant Principal Christine Craddock Mark Osborn Taylor Dawkins DoYoun Kim FLUTE Valerie Watts, Principal Parthena Owens Nancy Stizza-Ortega PICCOLO Nancy Stizza-Ortega OBOE Lisa Harvey-Reed, Principal Rachel Maczko Katherine Casto ENGLISH HORN Rachel Maczko CLARINET Bradford Behn, Principal Tara Heitz James Meiller BASS/E-FLAT CLARINET James Meiller BASSOON Rod Ackmann, Principal James Brewer HORN Kate Pritchett, Principal, G. Rainey Williams Chair James Rester* Mirella Gable* Matt Reynolds

TRUMPET Karl Sievers, Principal Jay Wilkinson Michael Anderson TROMBONE Philip Martinson, Principal Hope Bellows John Allen, Bass Trombone TUBA Ted Cox, Principal TIMPANI Jamie Whitmarsh, Principal PERCUSSION Patrick Womack, Principal Stephanie Krichena Roger Owens HARP Gaye LeBlanc, Principal PIANO Peggy Payne, Principal *on leave for 2024-25 season

PRODUCTION STAFF John Allen, General Manager Stephanie Aaron, Operations Manager Valorie Tatge, Personnel Manager Jose Batty, Librarian Ken Dines, Stage Crew Leader

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The Oklahoma Philharmonic Society, Inc. is honored to recognize its Encore Society members — visionary thinkers who have provided for the future of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic through their estate plans.

Anonymous (3)

Joel Levine and Don Clothier

Steven C. Agee, Ph.D.

John and Caroline Linehan

Linda and Patrick Alexander

Mr. and Mrs. Marvin C, Lunde, Jr.

Gary and Jan Allison

Mrs. Jackie Marron

Louise Cleary Cannon

Mr. and Mrs. John McCaleb

Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Clements

Mrs. Jean McLaughlin

Thomas and Rita Dearmon

W. Cheryl Moore

Dr. and Mrs. James D. Dixson

Carl Andrew Rath

Dr. Ralph and Lois Ganick

Mrs. Cathy Reaves

Hugh Gibson

Mrs. Lil Ross

Pam and Gary Glyckherr

Dr. Lois Salmeron

Carey and Gayle Goad

Mr. and Mrs. William F. Shdeed

Ms. Olivia Hanson

Doug and Susie Stussi

Jane B. Harlow

Larry and Leah Westmoreland

Dr. and Mrs. James Hartsuck

Mr. John S. Williams

Mr. and Mrs. Michael E. Joseph

Mrs. Carolyn Zachritz

THANK YOU The Oklahoma Philharmonic Society, Inc. is grateful for the support of caring patrons who want to pass on a legacy of extraordinary music to future generations. You can join this special group of music enthusiasts by including a gift for the OKC Philharmonic’s future in your own will or estate plan. For more information on how to become an Encore Society member, contact the Philharmonic’s Development Office at (405) 232-7575.

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M E E T O U R FA M I LY THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE MUSIC

MIN JUNG KIM

JENNI SHRUM

Violin OKCPHIL Musician

Marketing and Public Relations Director OKCPHIL Staff

I joined the OKC Philharmonic in 2023, and I am very grateful to perform with many great musicians. I studied violin under Megan Freivogel McDonough of Jupiter String Quartet, I recently received my DMA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where I previously earned my Master of Music Education degree and received many awards, including the Paul Rolland Memorial Violin Competition Award. Throughout my master’s and doctoral programs, I received full scholarships as well as the Cooke Fellowship.

I’m a proud Bartlesville, Oklahoma native who graduated from Southern Nazarene University.

I’ve spent the last two decades doing marketing, advertising, and public relations for Oklahoma institutions like The Oklahoman and the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Joining the Oklahoma City Philharmonic is a natural next step for me, and I am thrilled to promote such an iconic organization that provides inspiration and joy for the community through orchestral music. Working with others who are as equally passionate about what they do is an absolute honor and privilege. While my own musical abilities basically extend to singing along to the radio in my car, I am already blown away by the staggering talents of every single musician in our orchestra. When I’m not at work, I love working in my garden, reading, traveling, volunteering, and spending time with my family and beloved dogs, Buddy, Baby & Jack and cat, Grayson.

Along with playing the violin, I am very enthusiastic about teaching and have taught violin, chamber music, and orchestras in diverse settings since 2006. I have intensively studied string pedagogies of Rolland, Zweig, Menuhin, and Suzuki. I completed four years of training in Rolland pedagogy and am currently listed in Paul Rolland String Pedagogy Society. I have published my articles in many prestigious journals, such as String Research Journal and American String Teacher Journal, and I have also presented my research at many conferences, workshops, and seminars.

I am currently teaching at Oklahoma Baptist University as an adjunct professor of violin and a preparatory academy violin instructor, as well as teaching at the preparatory academy of Oklahoma State University.

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G I F T S TO T H E P H I L The Oklahoma City Philharmonic gratefully acknowledges the commitment and generosity of individuals, corporations, foundations, and government agencies that support our mission. To help us provide inspiration and joy to the community through live orchestral performances and a variety of education and community engagement programs, please contact the Philharmonic’s Development Office at (405) 232-7575.

This Annual Fund recognition reflects contributions made in the 2023-24 season and contributions for the 2024-25 Season made through July 15, 2023.

If your name has been misspelled or omitted, please accept our apologies and inform us of the error by calling the phone number listed above. Thank you for your generous support!

Providing leadership support.

UNDERWRITER $25,000 - $49,999 Ad Astra Foundation E.L. and Thelma Gaylord Foundation Express Employment Professionals International Dr. Margaret Freede-Owens and Daniel Owens Oklahoma City Philharmonic Foundation Robert Glenn Rapp Foundation The Ann Lacy Foundation Dr. Amalia Silverstein Susie and Doug Stussi GUARANTOR $10,000 - $24,999 Linda and Patrick Alexander American Fidelity Foundation Mo Anderson Lawrence H. & Ronna C. Davis Jane Jayroe Gamble and Gerald Gamble Jane B. Harlow Ed and Barbara Krei Mr. Albert Lang Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores Bill and Sally McNutt Foundation Fund MidFirst Bank 20

Larry and Polly Nichols OG&E Energy Corporation Dr. Lois Salmeron The Crawley Family Foundation W&W Steel John Walker

CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS & GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

BENEFACTOR $5,000 - $9,999

BNSF Railway Foundation Brewer Entertainment Oklahoma Allergy & Asthma Clinic Oklahoma Craft Omni Hotels

BancFirst Margaret and John Biggs Dr. and Mrs. L. Joe Bradley Martha and Ronnie Bradshaw Clements Foods Foundation Lisa Carver Collins Louise Cleary Cannon and Gerry Cannon Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Clements Terri Cooper Devon Energy Corporation Mr. David Daugherty Bryan Garrett Injury Law Firm Darleene A. Harris Mekusukey Oil Company, LLC Ruth Mershon Fund Dr. and Mrs. Patrick McKee Glenna and Dick Tanenbaum Diane and Michael Thomas

Express their enerous commitment to the community.

SUSTAINERS $2,500 - $4,999

ASSOCIATES $1,500 - $2,499 AEIOU Foundation, Dr. Elliott Schwartz and Pam Shanklin Bank of Oklahoma The Fred Jones Family Foundation The Kerr Foundation

FRIENDS $1,000 - $1,499 PARTNERS $500 - $999 MEMBERS $250-$499

Flashdragon Investments Oklahomans for the Arts

G I F T S TO T H E P H I L INDIVIDUALS

Providing essential support for the Annual Fund.

SUSTAINER $2,500-$4,999 Anonymous Virginia and Albert Aguilar Dr. and Mrs. Dewayne Andrews Dr. and Mrs. John C. Andrus Mr. J. Edward Barth Mrs. Betty D. Bellis-Mankin Nels and Donna Bentson Dr. and Mrs. Charles Bethea Dr. and Mrs. Philip C. Bird Mrs. Phyllis Brawley Mr. and Mrs. Pete Brown Robert and Karen Browne Family Fund Phil G. and Cathy Busey Mari Cook Medley Barbara Cooper Mr. and Mrs. David C. DeLana Mr. Sidney G. Dunagan Alisha and Kevin Dunnington David and Druanne Durrett Dr. Thurma J. Fiegel Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Fleckinger Frank Goforth and Nancy Halliday Kirk Hammons Dr. and Mrs. James Hartsuck David and Vicki Hunt Colonel (ret.) Dean and Mrs. Jeanne Jackson Tom and Cindy Janssen Kim and Michael Joseph Kathy and Terry Kerr Tom and Jane Lerum Robert B. Milsten Fund Mr. and Mrs. Phil Pippin Jerry and Jan Plant Mr. H.E. Rainbolt Mr. Larry Reed Mrs. Lil Ross Lance and Cindy Ruffel Ernesto and Lin Sanchez Dr. and Mrs. Hal Scofield Jeff and Kim Short Rick and Amanda Smith John and Katherine Spaid Mr. and Mrs. John E. Stonecipher John Stuemky and James Brand Billie Thrash

Janie Pryor Tubb Mrs. June Tucker Larry L. and Leah A. Westmoreland Dr. James and Mrs. Elizabeth Wise

ASSOCIATE $1,500 - $2,499 Anonymous (2) Fatima Abrantes-Pais Nancy and Louis Almaraz Ms. Beth M. Alonso Ms. Zonia Armstrong Dr. Sterling and Cheryl Baker Dr. Mary Zoe Baker Dr. and Mrs. William L. Beasley William Beck Dr. Jack and Ruth Beller Nick and Betsy Berry Bart Binning Dr. Robert and Kristin Blakeburn Mike and Dawn Borelli Mr. and Mrs. Del Boyles Mrs. Carole S. Broughton Mr. and Mrs. William M. Cameron J. Christopher and Ruth Carey Ms. Janice B. Carmack Jeff Caughron Drs. Fong Chen and Helen Chiou Nancy Coleman Cynthia Cortright Patricia Czerwinski Mr. Charles B. Darr, III Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Dearmon Tony and Pam Dela Vega Ms. Vickie Dennis Gary and Fran Derrick Mr. Joel Dixon Dr. Matthew Draelos and Mrs. Jenie Draelos Nancy Payne Ellis Dr. and Mrs. Royice B. Everett Mrs. Ann Felton Gilliland Paul and Debbie Fleming Mr. and Mrs. Kelly George Natalie Kurkjian and Christopher Geyer Mr. Kent Graham Dr. Stephen Hamilton and Dr. Pamela Craven Hamilton

Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence K. Hellman Walt and Jean Hendrickson Frank and Bette Jo Hill Mr. and Mrs. Joe R. Homsey, Jr. Lois and Roger Hornbrook Thomas and Elizabeth Hrubik Blair and Maggie Humphreys Mary Lu Jarvis Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Johnson Zach Johnson Mrs. Margaret Keith Mike and Kay Kellogg Drs. Daniel and Diana Kennedy Aaron and Jennifer Ketter Ms. Claren Kidd David Kinnard Debra Klinghoffer Debra and Kristian Kos Mike and Kay Lacey Richard and Dr. Barbara Masters William and Oxana Matthey Mr. and Mrs. John A. McCaleb Cindy and Johnny McCharen Mr. and Mrs. Tom J. McDaniel Debbie McKinney John and Anna McMillin Mr. and Mrs. K. T. Meade, Jr. Robert and Kathy Mendez Deann Merritt Parham Sandra Meyers Tom and Katherine Milam Tom and Peggy Miller Betsy Mitschke and Steven Helt David and Krystal Murer Dr. Gene L. Muse Mrs. Jeaneen Naifeh Steven Newell and Deborah Naylor Kathleen Oliver Edward Oliver and Harriet Lord Richard and Gayle Parry Mr. and Mrs. Corey Phelps Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth R. Rees Tracey Romberger Donald Rowlett Larry and Patricia Sanford Fred and Maria Schmitt Jeff and Marissa Scott Mr. and Mrs. John M. Seward Pam and Bill Shdeed Emma and John Shelton CONTINUED ON PAGE 51

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2024 SHOW HOUSE COMMITTEE

Symphony Show House Chair J. Mark Taylor Designer Selection Committee Anonymous Designer Sales Chairs Jeannie Drake Carole Doerner Inventory Chair Lois Salmeron

Sponsorship Chairs Margaret Freede Maggie Sermersheim Maintenance Chairs Ed Oliver Daniel Karami Social Media Chair Rachael Geiger

Thank you to the following who believed in our mission by supporting the 51st Annual Symphony Show House!

Front Desk Chair Carol McCoy Room Staffing & Training Chair Dottie Overal Public Relations Chair Joan Bryant Other Committee Members Dawn Byram Meg Salyer Susan Satterlee

2024 SYMPHONY SHOW HOUSE COMMUNIT Y PARTNERS David DeLana with Heritage Press Martin Taylor Creative Group Julie Ayers with Sevens Photography Maggie Sermersheim with The Barlor Lacey Gilliam

2024 SYMPHONY SHOW HOUSE TOUR BOOK David DeLana with Heritage Press Julie Ayers with Sevens Photography Martin Taylor with Martin Taylor Creative Group

Headlining Show House Patrons Dr. Margaret Freede Owens Glenna and Dick Tanenbaum

Bronze Patrons Larry and Ronna Davis Lance and Cindy Ruffel

Gold Patrons Benjamin Moore Paints

Benefactor Patrons Skip and Joan Cunningham Sue and John Francis Jane B. Harlow Col. (ret.) Dean and Mrs. Jeanne Jackson Kings Worldwide Transportation Dr. Lois L. Salmeron

Silver Patrons Express Employment Professionals International NvYA Technology

Joan Bryant Blossom Crews J. Mark Taylor

The Kerr Foundation, Inc. Bob and Tammy Weiss Friend Patrons Judy Austin Ms. Janice Carmack Marsha Crook Rita Gunter Dearmon Carole Doerner Brent Hart and Matt Thomas Margaret Keith Sarah Sagran, CPA, PLLC

Thank you to the Talented Designers and Boutique Owners who made the 2024 Symphony Show House a Reality!

Rosinna Gies - Amini’s Galleria Tuesday Fay & Halah Songer - Bob Mills Furniture Phoebe Austerman - Calvert’s Plant Interiors Shara & Raul Castillo - Castle Rock Countertops Andrew Moore - Frontier Outdoor Katelynn Henry, Steve Calonkey, Steve Simpson – Henry Home Interiors Holly Flinton - Holly Flinton Design, Inc. Patty Tippit - Home Dazzle G. Jason Johnson - Jason George Interiors

Nora Johnson - Johnson Manor Kimberly Morgan – Kimberly Morgan Arts Dr. Kari Lopez, Renae Brady, Tracy Knoche - Lorec Ranch Loree Johns - Loree Johns Interiors / Edmond Furniture Gallery Lynda Savage - Lynda Savage Art Nathan Hughes - Mathis Design Studio Keven Calonkey Carl, Cassidy Brunsteter, Lance Whitlow, Avery Eggers, Jill Young - Mister Robert Fine Furniture & Design Cindy Curly, Ryan Johnson, Sandy Foust, Macie Thomas - Norwalk Furniture & Design

In-Kind Supporters

Clutter Free

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Ronette Wallace - OTW Interiors / Suburban Furniture Deb Johnson - Paint Inspirations Maggie Davis - Tom James Company J. Mark Taylor, Sharen Polkinghorne, Carol Stith - Traditions Fine Furniture & Design John Wilkinson, Fabiola Velasco, Breanna Smith - UCO Design School Vicki VanStavern – Van Stavern Design Group Lauren Warkentine, Sarah McCombs - William and Lauren I

Pros Make Ready Sanitizing Services

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RESTROOMS are conveniently located on all levels of the theater. Please ask your usher for guidance.

LATECOMERS and those who exit the theater during the performance may be seated during the first convenient pause, as determined by the management.

ELECTRONIC DEVICES must be turned off and put away during the performance (no calling, texting, photo or video use please).

BEVERAGES: Bottled water is permitted in the theater at the Classics Series concerts. Beverages are permitted in the theater at the Pops Series concerts; however, bringing coffee into the theater is discouraged due to the aroma.

SMOKING in the Civic Center Music Hall is prohibited. The Oklahoma City Philharmonic promotes a fragrance-free environment for the convenience of our patrons.

FIRE EXITS are located on all levels and marked accordingly. Please note the nearest exit for use in case of an emergency.

ELEVATORS are located at the south end of the atrium lobby of the Civic Center Music Hall.

CHILDREN of all ages are welcome at the Philharmonic Discovery Family Series and Holiday Pops performances; however, in consideration of the patrons, musicians and artists, those under five years of age will not be admitted to evening Classics and Pops concerts unless otherwise noted.

BOOSTER SEATS for children are available in the Civic Center lobby. Please inquire at the Box Office.

STUDENT RUSH TICKETS are available with a high school or university I.D. and email address at the box office 1 hour prior to the start of each Philharmonic performance. Or may be purchased online the Wednesday prior to each concert for $11. Limit: 2 tickets per I.D. Tickets are offered based on availability only and seats may be located throughout the theatre.

VIDEO MONITORS are located in the lobby for your convenience.

WHEELCHAIR AVAILABLE SEATING – Persons using wheelchairs or with walking and climbing difficulties will be accommodated when possible. Those wishing to use the designated wheelchair sections may purchase the wheelchair space and a companion seat. Please inform the Philharmonic or Civic Center Box Office staff of your need when ordering tickets so that you may be served promptly and appropriately. Please request the assistance of hall ushers to access wheelchair seating.

HEARING LOOPS have been installed. Ask your audiologist to activate the telecoil in your hearing aid or cochlear implant. Due to the mechanics of the stage, the hearing loops do not reach the pit section but are available at the Box Office and the Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre. The copper wire in the floor and telecoil work together to connect the hearing device to the theater’s sound system using a magnetic field which dramatically improves sound clarity for patrons using hearing devices.

LOST & FOUND is located in the Civic Center office (405-594-8300) weekdays 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

PHILHARMONIC TICKET OFFICE may be contacted by calling 405-TIC-KETS (405-842-5387) or you can visit the Philharmonic Ticket Office located on the first floor of the Arts District Garage at 424 Colcord Drive in Suite B. The Philharmonic Ticket Office is open Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and by phone on concert Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

CIVIC CENTER BOX OFFICE hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and two hours prior to each performance. (405-594-8300) ARTISTS, PROGRAMMING, AND DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

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Maestro CONCEPTS FROM THE

OPENING NIGHT WITH MIDORI S E P T E M B E R

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CLASSICS

This season, we’re celebrating our “classical” repertoire—music that is tried and true, resonating deeply with audiences over time and embodying a deeply romantic spirit, cherished by many. Join us as we explore these beloved classics!

ALEXANDER MICKELTHWATE, CONDUCTOR MIDORI, VIOLIN

OPENING NIGHT WITH MIDORI This season kicks off with Sibelius’ Violin Concerto, a staple among the top ten violin concertos of all time, alongside Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn. This concerto, Sibelius’ only one, was famously too difficult for the soloist at its world premiere. Its romantic essence and unconventional structure make it a captivating work.

I’m quite excited to work with Midori for the first time. A child prodigy who rose to prominence at just 11 under Leonard Bernstein, she has enjoyed an illustrious international career for over 40 years.

In the second half, we’ll perform Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, another iconic Fifth Symphony that stands alongside Beethoven’s and Mahler’s. Composed in the aftermath of World War II, each movement serves as a personal diary entry, reflecting a range of emotions from deep despair to jubilant exuberance. It’s truly Shostakovich’s most performed work and a quintessential classic.

For a deeper understanding of concert programming, please, join Maestro Mickelthwate for his Preconcert Talk at 7pm in the auditorium. Open seating.

0:31 SIBELIUS ...................... Concerto for Violin in D minor, Op. 47 Allegro moderato Adagio di molto Allegro, ma non tanto Midori, violin

Intermission

0:44 SHOSTAKOVICH ........ Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 47

Moderato Allegretto Largo Allegro non troppo

THIS CONCERT IS GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY:

OKCPHIL SPOTLIGHT SCHOOL: Classen School of Advanced Studies

Listen to a broadcast of this performance on KUCO 90.1 FM on Thursday, October 17 at 8 pm and Saturday, October 19 at 8 am on “Performance Oklahoma”. Simultaneous internet streaming is also available during the broadcast. Or KUCO broadcast dates can be found on our website www.okcphil.org.

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MIDORI Midori is a visionary artist, activist and educator who explores and builds connections between music and the human experience. In the four decades since her debut with the New York Philharmonic at age 11, the “simply magical” (Houston Chronicle) violinist has performed with many of the world’s most prestigious orchestras and has collaborated with world-renowned musicians including Leonard Bernstein, Yo-Yo Ma, and many others. Midori is the newly appointed Artistic Director of Ravinia Steans Music Institute’s Piano & Strings program, and oversees the program beginning in summer 2024.

Midori celebrated her 40th anniversary last season with Warner Classics’ release of the complete Beethoven sonatas for piano and violin with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and a Beethoven Trios concert tour on three continents.

Recently she had a summer appearance at the Santander International Festival, followed by fall tours of Europe and North America with Festival Strings Lucerne. Other highlights include performances of Bernstein’s Serenade with the National Repertory Orchestra under Michael Stern, WDR Symphony in Germany under Constantinos Carydis, and Sofia Philharmonic in Bulgaria. She gave two performances of the 2019 Violin Concerto An die Unsterbliche Geliebte (“To the Immortal Beloved”), written for her by Detlev Glanert: with the NDR Radiophilharmonie under Andrew Manze and with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, a co-commissioner of the work. Additional highlights include concerts with the KBS Symphony in Seoul and with Solistes Européens Luxembourg at the Luxembourg Philharmonic as well as guest appearances in Amsterdam, Antwerp, South America and Riga.

Deeply committed to furthering humanitarian and educational goals, Midori has founded several non-profit organizations; the New York City-based Midori & Friends and Japan-based MUSIC SHARING both celebrated 30th anniversaries in 2022-2023 Born in Osaka in 1971, she began her violin studies with her mother, Setsu Goto, at an early age. In 1982, conductor Zubin Mehta invited the then 11-year-old Midori to perform with the New York Philharmonic in the orchestra’s annual New Year’s Eve concert, where the foundation was laid for her subsequent career. Midori is the Dorothy Richard Starling Chair in Violin Studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She is the recipient of honorary doctorates from Smith College, Yale University, Longy School of Music and Shenandoah University. She plays the 1734 Guarnerius del Gesù ‘exHuberman’ and uses four bows – two by Dominique Peccatte, one by François Peccatte and one by Paul Siefried.

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SIBELIUS Concerto for Violin in D Minor, Op. 47 Jean Sibelius First Performance: 3/4/1945 Violin: Jascha Heifetz Last Performance: 10/17/2015 Violin: Augustin Hadelich Born: December 8, 1865, in Tavastehus (Hämeenlinna), Finland Died: September 20, 1957, in Järvenpää, Finland Work composed September 1902 through the beginning of 1904; today it is nearly always presented in Sibelius’s revision of 1905.

Work premiered: February 8, 1904, in Helsinki, with the composer conducting the Helsingfors Philharmonic and soloist Victor Nováček Instrumentation: Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, and strings, in addition to the solo violin

It is rare indeed to experience a concert consisting two works that are both in D minor and are both their respective composers’ Op. 47. Savor the moment.

Asked to use the words “Sibelius” and “violin” together in a sentence, most music lovers would automatically add the word “concerto” to the mix. It’s inevitable, really: Sibelius’s D-minor Violin Concerto towers as an icy summit in the instrument’s literature. But Sibelius and the violin are connected in other ways, too. He aspired to become a violin virtuoso himself but unfortunately fixed on that goal too late for it to be feasible. When he embarked on violin lessons, he was 14 years old. By that age many virtuosos-in-training are already seasoned players, and the provincial instruction available to Sibelius, combined with his tendency toward stage fright, limited his progress. Still, he became accomplished enough to play in the Vienna Conservatory’s orchestra when he was a student there, in 1890-91, and he even auditioned (unsuccessfully) for a chair in the Vienna Philharmonic.

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Sibelius enriched his instrument’s repertoire by a quite a few works apart from the Concerto. He worked on a second violin concerto in 1915 but abandoned it far from completion, recycling his sketches into his Sixth Symphony. He composed numerous works for violin and piano, including a Sonata (1889) and a Sonatina (Op. 80, 1915), as well as many items grouped into collections of short movements. He would complete his final composition in 1927 and in his final three decades limited his musical creativity to tinkering with extant pieces and making stabs at works that would never come to fruition. Shortly before he gave up composing, Sibelius was engaged one last time with the violin, although the Suite for Violin and Orchestra he projected remained a fragmented draft.

None of these works rivals the Violin Concerto in combining his unique musical language with the capabilities of the solo instrument. This, in effect, was the central challenge confronting the composer. Already in such works as his first two symphonies and his Lemminkäinen tone poems he had defined his dark, sober sound, and these were not characteristics that would easily be melded with the more extroverted, even flashy tradition that surrounded most violin concertos of the 19th century. Sibelius was not natively drawn to composing concertos at all, and this would be the only one, for any instrument, that he would see through to completion. Still, a concerto needed to have a certain degree of flair or else a soloist could hardly be expected to perform it. Sibelius solved this problem by creating what some historians have viewed as “a deepening of the tradition.” The musicologist James Hepokoski finds in this work “a virtuoso concerto simultaneously affirmed and transcended by a thoroughgoing seriousness of purpose and ‘surplus’ density of compositional pondering.”

The section of a traditional concerto most at odds with Sibelius’s predilection for profundity would be the first-movement cadenza, in which soloists are given the greatest opportunities to demonstrate their technical prowess. Sibelius meets the challenge head-on: he provides a solo cadenza but instead of presenting it as a sort of pendant to the proceedings he gives it immense structural importance, moving it to the middle of the movement and essentially making it fill the role of a development section. (A second cadenza, playing a more traditional function, originally stood at the end of the movement, but Sibelius eliminated it when he tightened the concerto in his 1905 revision.) Also non-traditional is the lack of real dialogue in this concerto, the sort of backand-forth conversation between soloist and orchestra that CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

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SHOSTAKOVICH

we are accustomed to hearing in the concertos of, say, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Brahms.

The vast breadth of the opening movement is mirrored in the still beauty of the slow movement, melancholy in a way that perhaps recalls Tchaikovsky. Although this concerto is not a prime example of Sibelius’s occasional penchant for folk inspiration, the finale does seem to be a dance of some sort. The musical commentator Donald Francis Tovey called it “a polonaise for polar bears,” a description so perfect that few program annotators can resist quoting it.

Tovey on Sibelius Donald Francis Tovey’s “polar bear” comment is his most famous utterance on Sibelius’s Violin Concerto, but his entire essay on the piece impresses with its insight. Among his observations: As with all Sibelius’s more important works, its outlines are huge and simple; and if a timely glance at an atlas had not reminded me that Finland is mostly flat and water-logged with lakes, I should doubtless have said that ‘his forms are hewn out of the rocks of his native and Nordic mountains.’ The composer to whose style the word ‘lapidary’ (lapidarisch) was first applied by the orthodoxy of the [eighteen] ’nineties is Bruckner; and if the best work of Sibelius suggests anything else in music, it suggests a Bruckner gifted with an easy mastery and the spirit of a Polar explorer. ... The real problems of musical form are always, in the last resort, problems of movement; and Sibelius has his own special sense of movement, which delivers him from the need of Bruckner’s desperate and dangerous gesture of ‘I pause for a reply.’ It gives him complete command of the arts of rousing expectation and of slow gradation to a climax.

—JMK

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Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47 Dmitri Shostakovich First Performance: 10/15/1963 Conductor: Guy Fraser Harrison Last Performance: 2/4/2017 Conductor: Andreas Delfs Born: September 12 (old style)/25 (new style), 1906, in St. Petersburg, Russia Died: August 9, 1975, in Moscow Work composed: April 18 to July 20, 1937 Work premiered: November 21, 1937, in the Great Hall of the Leningrad Philharmonic, with Yevgeny Mravinsky conducting the Leningrad Philharmonic Instrumentation: Two flutes and piccolo, two oboes, two clarinets and E-flat clarinet, two bassoons and contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, triangle, snare drum, cymbals, bass drum, tam-tam, glockenspiel, xylophone, celesta, two harps, piano, and strings

The biography of Dmitri Shostakovich reads like something out of a particularly nightmarish Russian novel: Dostoyevsky, perhaps, but with even more ironic jokes. His gifts were unmistakable—the world has agreed that, along with Sergei Prokofiev, he was the Soviet Union’s greatest composer—but he spent practically his whole career falling in and out of favor with the Communist authorities and he ended up battered and paranoid in the process.

Only the most perverse novelist could have dreamed up the life that lay ahead following the success of his pert Symphony No. 1 (1924-25): how in 1930 Shostakovich’s satirical opera The Nose would run afoul of Soviet politicos, being denounced by the Russian Association of Proletarian Musicians for its “bourgeois decadence”; how he would redeem himself through his charming Piano Concerto No. 1 in 1933; how his fortunes would crash again in 1936, when Stalin saw and loathed his opera Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

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and reduced him to nothingness until the composer contritely offered his Fifth Symphony (1937) as “the creative reply of a Soviet artist to justified criticism” (not really Shostakovich’s words, though often attributed to him).

The adventures would continue through the rest of his life.

In the wake of his rehabilitation, he would be awarded the Stalin Prize twice in succession, in 1940 and 1941. In 1945, his star would fall again when his Ninth Symphony struck the bureaucrats as an insufficient reflection of the glory of Russia’s victory over the Nazis. He rebounded with yet another Stalin Prize in 1949, but nonetheless squirreled away private masterpieces in his desk drawer until Soviet cultural policies began to thaw after the dictator’s death in 1953. Only in 1960 would he feel confident enough to hazard the series of searing, poignant works rich in musical autobiography that would characterize the final years of his earthly tragedy.

Shostakovich composed his Symphony No. 5 in a span of three months of 1937, at a moment when he was effecting a rebound from official disgrace. Who knows what he was really thinking when he wrote this piece? Lots of people have suggested lots of answers—there is probably no composer about whom musicologists debate with such virulence—but in the end, Shostakovich did an excellent job of covering his tracks. If we choose, we may take at face value the comments he provided in an article published just before the work’s premiere: “The birth of the Fifth Symphony was preceded by a prolonged period of internal preparation.

Perhaps because of this, the actual writing of the symphony took a comparatively short time (the third movement, for example, was written in three days).... The theme of my symphony is the development of the individual. I saw man with all his sufferings as the central idea of the work, which is lyrical in mood from start to finish; the finale resolves the tragedy and tension of the earlier movements on a joyous, optimistic note.”

No doubt self-preservation played a role in Shostakovich’s crafting this piece as he did. In fact, the officially sanctioned review of the premiere, in the publication Izvestia, found in it the stuff of a Socialist-Realist program. It identified the opening movement as a depiction of toiling miners and massive factory machinery subjugating nature, the scherzo as a picture of the athleticism of happy Soviet citizens, and so on. Probably Shostakovich had nothing so specific in mind. On the other hand, he didn’t raise his voice in protest, since his making a livelihood as a composer depended to a large degree on the official acceptance of this symphony.

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his sound-world, which in this case is rich in satire and grotesqueries yet taut in its classical formality (or even “neoclassical” formality, in the second movement). The music is propelled with a driving sense of momentum throughout, nowhere more than in the energetic finale, whose pounding impact rarely fails to bring down the house.

The Composer Speaks In a commentary published on January 12, 1938, in Literaturnaya Gazeta, Shostakovich spoke of his newly premiered Fifth Symphony: My latest work may be called a lyrical-heroic symphony. Its basic ideas are the sufferings of man, and optimism. I wanted to convey optimism asserting itself as a world outlook through a series of tragic conflicts in a great inner, mental struggle.

During a discussion at the Leningrad section of the Composers’ Union, some of my colleagues called my Fifth Symphony an autobiographical work. On the whole, I consider this a fair appraisal. In my opinion, there are biographical elements in any work of art. Every work should bear the stamp of a living person, its author, and it is poor and tedious work whose creator is invisible.

—JMK

JAMES M. KELLER Now in his 25th season as Program Annotator of the San Francisco Symphony, James M. Keller is the former Program Annotator of the New York Philharmonic and the author of Chamber Music: A Listener’s Guide (Oxford University Press).

The Fifth has proved the most popular of Shostakovich’s 15 symphonies. It provides an excellent introduction to 29

Maestro CONCEPTS FROM THE

THE ORGAN SYMPHONY O C T O B E R

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This season, we’re celebrating our “classical” repertoire—music that is tried and true, resonating deeply with audiences over time and embodying a deeply romantic spirit, cherished by many. Join us as we explore these beloved classics!

ALEXANDER MICKELTHWATE, CONDUCTOR CAMERON CARPENTER, ORGAN

THE ORGAN SYMPHONY Our second classics concert of the season will spotlight the magnificent organ. During my teenage years, I had the joy of playing the organ on many Sundays, marveling at its power and rich colors. I was also honored to conduct the inaugural concert of the Walt Disney Concert Hall’s new organ—an unforgettable experience!

We’ll feature the world-renowned organist Cameron Carpenter, performing two iconic pieces for organ and orchestra: Poulenc’s Organ Concerto and Saint-Saëns’ Organ Symphony.

Both composers brilliantly paired the orchestra with the organ, an instrument that closely resembles an orchestra in its rich sound. The key difference, of course, is that the organ’s complex textures are produced by a single player.

Saint-Saëns’ last symphony was composed in tribute to Franz Liszt, who had just passed away. It’s a true classic that showcases the grandeur and versatility of the organ. Don’t miss this exceptional concert!

For a deeper understanding of concert programming, please, join Maestro Mickelthwate for his Preconcert Talk at 7pm in the auditorium. Open seating.

0:11 BERLIOZ ............ Overture to Benvenuto Cellini, Op. 23 0:24 POULENC ........ Concerto in G minor for Organ, Strings, and Timpani Andante—Allegro giocoso—Subito andante modera to—Tempo allegro, molto agitato—Très calme. Lent— Tempo de l’Allegro initial—Tempo introduction. Largo Cameron Carpenter, organ Intermission 0:36 SAINT-SAËNS... Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78, Organ Adagio—Allegro moderato—Poco adagio Allegro moderato—Maestoso—Allegro Cameron Carpenter appears by arrangement with Columbia Artists Music, LLC.

THIS CONCERT IS GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY:

THE SALMERON FAMILY

Listen to a broadcast of this performance on KUCO 90.1 FM on Wednesday, November 7, at 8 pm and Saturday, November 9, at 8 am on “Performance Oklahoma”. Simultaneous internet streaming is also available during the broadcast.

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CAMERON CARPENTER Born April 17, 1981, Titusville, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.; homeschooled 1981–1992.

American Boychoir School (Princeton, NJ), 1993-1995; public performances in USA and Europe as a chorister, accompanist and keyboard soloist.

Homeschooled, 1995–1996; University of North Carolina School of the Arts 1996–2000 (high school diploma), The Juilliard School, New York, NY, 2000– 2006 (Bachelor of Music in Organ Performance 2004; Master of Music in Organ Performance, 2006). Many arrangements and transcriptions for organ, mostly of orchestral and piano works, from c. 1996. First organist nominated for a GRAMMY TM Award for the album Revolutionary (Telarc®, 2008). Publishing contract with Edition Peters 2009; emigrated to Germany 2010; first concerto for organ and orchestra (The Scandal, Op. 3, premiered 2011 at Cologne Philharmonie by Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen under Alexander Shelley). Management by Konzertdirektion Schmid and CAMI Music LLC since 2011; global touring, orchestral engagements, media since 2011. Featured speaker at TED, IdeaCity, Aspen Ideas Festival, other conferences; Leonard Bernstein Award (Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival), 2012. First Organist-In-Residence, Philharmonie Berlin, Season 2012–2013; recording contract with Sony Classical, 2013.

Premiere of Terry Riley’s organ concerto At The Royal Majestic in Los Angeles, Geneva, and Berlin, 2014; ECHO Klassik award (If You Could Read My Mind), 2015. Designed and debuted George W. Mergens Memorial Organ at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts, Palm Beach, 2016. Creation of organ and orchestra version of Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43, 2016–2017; Artist-in-Residence, Konzerthaus Berlin, Season 2017–2018. Rachmaninoff Paganini mounted with I.T.O. and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra (world premiere Shanghai 2018), Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Radio Symphony Orchestra Wien, Graz Philharmonic, Bamberger Philharmoniker, Orchestre National du Lyon, Minnesota Orchestra, others.

Rachmaninoff Paganini recorded with I.T.O. and Konzerthausorchester Berlin under Christoph Eschenbach for Sony Classical, 2019. Designed and directed installation of 246 site-specific installations of I.T.O. for approximately 350+ concert events internationally (since 2014). Transcribed J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations, BWV 988 and Howard Hanson’s Symphony No. 2 ‘Romantic’ (1930); world premieres of same, I.T.O. at Paris Philharmonie; Jongen Symphonie Concertante with Dallas Symphony, Columbus Symphony, 2019. 75 ‘#organtruck’ all-Bach concerts at disabled and elder care facilities across greater Germany; Rheingau Music Festival production with I.T.O. for Deutsche Telekom; Opus Klassik Award (Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini); organ soloist on Epic Orchestra: New Sound of Classical, 2020. Chicago Symphony Orchestra debut, 2022.

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BER LIOZ Overture to Benvenuto Cellini, Op. 23 Hector Berlioz First Performance: 10/21/1952 Conductor: Guy Fraser Harrison Last Performance: 9/13/2014 Conductor: Joel Levine Born: December 11, 1803, in La Côte-Saint-André, Isère, France Died: March 8, 1869, in Paris Work composed: Berlioz wrote his opera Benvenuto Cellini in 1836-37 Work premiered: At the opera’s first performance, on September 10, 1838, at the Paris Opéra, with François-Antoine Habeneck conducting Instrumentation: Two flutes (second doubling piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets (second doubling bass clarinet), four bassoons (optionally just two), four horns, four trumpets, two cornets, three trombones, tuba (taking the place of Berlioz’ original ophicleide, a keyed brass instrument popular in early-to-mid-19th-century France), timpani, bass drum, cymbals, triangle, and strings

That Hector Berlioz was a genius there can be no doubt, but genius does not always ensure a calm passage through life. His biography makes extraordinary reading, especially when liberally peppered with accounts lifted from his beautifully written and often hilarious Mémoires (which have been vividly captured in English translation

by David Cairns). His father was a physician in a town not far from Grenoble, within view of the Alps; and since the father assumed that his son would follow in the same profession, the son’s musical inclinations were largely ignored. As a result, Berlioz never learned to play more than a few chords on the piano, and his practical abilities as a performer were limited to lessons on flute and guitar.

He was sent to Paris to attend medical school, hated the experience, and took advantage of being in the big city by enrolling in private musical studies and, beginning in 1826, the

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composition curriculum at the Paris Conservatoire. The seal of approval for all Conservatoire composition students was the Prix de Rome, and Berlioz finally won that award in 1830 in his fourth attempt, with his cantata La mort de Sardanapale, of which only a fragment survives. To qualify as truly successful, French composers of that time needed to meet a second requirement apart from winning the Prix de Rome: a hit in the opera house. Berlioz never quite managed to achieve that, although he completed three operas. Benvenuto Cellini was the first (a two-act “opéra semi-seria,” Berlioz called it), followed by the immense Les Troyens (1856-58, after Virgil’s Aeneid) and Béatrice et Bénédict (1860-62, after Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing).

For the plot of Benvenuto Cellini, Berlioz and his librettists (Léon de Wally and Auguste Barbier, assisted by the poet Alfred de Vigny) went directly to the source: the autobiography, titled Vita (Life), of the 16th-century Italian sculptor, goldsmith, and musician. Cellini’s libertine, sometimes violent, exploits led him through a peripatetic existence that took him from his native Florence to Rome, Mantua, and Paris before he died back in Florence, where he dictated his memoirs to an apprentice in his workshop.

Cellini was very much the iconoclastic, egotistical artist, and Berlioz viewed him as a kindred Romantic soul, swept up in a rarefied world of art and ardor, a genius forever trying the limits of politics and social propriety. What’s more, they both played the flute.

Disappointment lay in Berlioz’ path when Benvenuto Cellini was finally produced. It received only four performances at its initial run in 1838 (conducted by François-Antoine Habeneck), though it did get a second life some years later after he effected severe revisions. It was unveiled in its revised form at Weimar’s Grossherzogliches Hoftheater on March 20, 1852, and then, with further alterations that turned it into a three-act opera, on November 17, 1852, both times with Franz Liszt at the helm.

Of the rehearsal period in the summer of 1838, Berlioz recalled in his Mémoires: “I shall never forget the horror of those three months. The indifference, the distaste manifested by most of the singers (who were already convinced that it would be a fiasco); Habeneck’s illhumour, and the vague rumours that went round the theatre; the crass objections raised by that whole crowd of illiterates to certain turns of phrase in a libretto so different in style from the empty, mechanical rhyming prose of the Scribe school—all this was eloquent of an of atmosphere of general hostility against which I was powerless, but which I had to pretend not to notice.” In fact, the premiere of Benvenuto Cellini was not an out-and-out debacle, though Berlioz would colorfully depict it as one. The work enjoyed CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 33

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Berlioz in Italy Apart from providing a measure of recognition for his skills and a welcome source of income, the award of the Prix de Rome included a residency in Italy, a nation whose ancient cultural lineage was considered at that time to wield an indispensable influence over the formation of the creative intellect. The 15 months Berlioz spent in Italy did not entirely delight him, and the grantors were disappointed that he produced rather little serious work while he was there. Nonetheless, both the remnants of antiquity and the vivacity of modern Italian life left an indelible imprint on his taste, and depictions of Italian history, art, and landscape would surface often in his music during ensuing decades, as witness such famous works as the symphony Harold in Italy, the “dramatic symphony” Romeo and Juliet, and the all three of his operas, including in a most unmistakable way Benvenuto Cellini.

—JMK

Concerto in G minor for Organ, Strings, and Timpani Francis Poulenc First Performance: 12/13/1955 Organ: Richard Ellsasser Last Performance: 1/24/1981 Organ: John Wright Born: December 11, 1803, in La Côte-Saint-André, Isère, France Born: January 7, 1899, in Paris, France Died: January 30, 1963, in Paris Work composed: 1936-38 Work premiered: For a private audience on December 16, 1938, at the hôtel particulier of Princesse Edmond de Polignac in Paris, with Nadia Boulanger conducting and Maurice Duruflé as soloist; the public premiere took place June 21, 1939, at Salle Gaveau in Paris, with Roger Désormière conducting the Orchestre Symphonique de Paris, again with Duruflé.

Instrumentation: String orchestra and timpani plus solo organ

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something approaching, if not entirely achieving, a succès d’estime. At least the Overture fared very well indeed.

Berlioz reported that “it was greeted with exaggerated applause, but the rest was hissed with admirable energy and unanimity.”

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Music-lovers tend to think of Francis Poulenc first and foremost as an amusing or at least high-spirited composer, but as the years passed, he also revealed a more introspective side. This intensified in the 1930s due to the loss of several close friends and his concern over the deteriorating political situation in Europe. He composed his Organ Concerto principally in 1938, the sober year when the French watched nervously as Hitler unified Germany with Austria through the Anschluss and then began mobilizing his nation’s military forces. By the time the piece was unveiled that December, the German annexation of the Czech Sudetenland and the horrors of Kristallnacht were already history.

Tracing the genesis of the Organ Concerto leads us to Winnaretta Singer, Princesse Edmond de Polignac, heiress to the Singer sewing machine fortune, who used her wealth to become an extraordinary music patron. She convened a salon at her Parisian mansion in a 1500-square-foot room, mirrored à la Versailles, in which 250 spectators could be seated comfortably. A separate street entrance led to her “atelier,” which was equipped with a Cavaillé-Coll organ that was pressed into service for gatherings on Tuesday evenings. Her conversations with Poulenc about commissioning the Organ Concerto began in 1934, which is to say at the height of the Great Depression. She explained in a letter that “thanks to Mr. Roosevelt, my musical budget has been very considerably reduced. I can therefore offer you only ... 12,500 francs.” Nadia Boulanger, who was the Princesse’s musical adviser as well as her organ teacher, urged Poulenc on, and in the spring of 1936, he wrote to Marie-Blanche de Polignac (who was married to Princesse Edmond’s nephew): “The Concerto is almost completed. It has given me a great deal of trouble but I hope it is all right as it is now, and that you will like it.

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It is not the amusing Poulenc of the Concerto for Two Pianos but more like a Poulenc en route for the cloister, very XVth [century], if you like.” But the piece was not almost finished, and that September Poulenc was still, as he wrote to Boulanger, “hoping for some inspiration from above.”

Finally, the piece was ready to be played before an invited audience in the Princesse’s home on December 16, 1938, on which occasion Boulanger conducted (though her friendship with the Princesse had gone somewhat south by then) and the organist was the eminent Maurice Duruflé, who is credited on the printed score for helping fashion the organ registration for the work.

La revue musicale immediately praised the concerto for its “exalted and virile inspiration.” “Written in a very forthright style,” the account continued, “it employs technical means drawn directly from the language of J.S. Bach.” Overall, Poulenc’s inspiration seems less drawn directly from Bach than from the neo-Baroque essays of Stravinsky, such as his Octet (1923), Apollon musagète (1927-28), and Oedipus Rex (1926-27). This last seems a particular model for the austere music that immediately follows the organ’s opening blast, with the timpani and doubles basses (pizzicato) intoning ominous minor thirds beneath the organ’s chromatic, serpentine melody. Other thematic fragments are suggested as this slow introduction makes its way to a huge organ chord that, in functional terms, is basically an old-fashioned dominant-seventh chord rendered frightening through the implantation of dissonant fangs.

Dominant-seventh chords, even embellished ones, resolve to tonics, and this one does just that, plunging into scurrying G-minor music launched by the strings.

All the sections of this concerto connect continuously though with sometimes dramatic contrasts between them. Danger often lurks in the shadows in this concerto, and listeners sense allusions to other composers: neoBaroque fireworks of a Bachian sort, balletic phrases suggesting Prokofiev, even Tchaikovskian sobs. The pace of the first “fast movement” returns for the final chapter, and with it a considerable transformation of the concerto’s opening theme and remembrances of other music that has played a part before the concerto reaches its final terrifying measures.

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Poulenc’s Spiritual DNA Even when writing explicitly religious works Poulenc did not strike a lugubrious pose. His was a luminous religiosity, a point he underscored in a 1953 interview with Stéphane Audel for Swiss Radio: Heredity was deeply involved here. If one side of my art can be wholly explained by my mother’s ultra-Parisian descent, you mustn’t forget that my father came from Aveyron, that sturdy, mountainous area between Auvergne and the Mediterranean basin. Poulenc, by the way, is a typical southern name. In architecture, it is Romanesque art—particularly the examples to be found in the south of France—that has always been my religious ideal, whether it’s Vézelay, Autun, Moissac or Vierges du Puy or Conques. I like religious inspiration to express itself clearly in the sunshine with the same realism as we can see on those Romanesque capitals. My father, like all his family, was deeply religious but in a very liberal way, without the slightest meanness.

—JMK

Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78, Organ Symphony Camille Saint-Saëns First Performance: 12/11/1949 Conductor: Victor Alessandro Organ: Ken Wright Last Performance: 9/28/2003 Conductor: Joel Levine Organ: Scott Raab Born: December 11, 1803, in La Côte-Saint-André, Isère, France Born: October 9, 1835, in Paris, France Died: December 16, 1921, in Algiers, Algeria Work composed: April 1886 Work dedicated: To the memory of Franz Liszt Work premiered: May 19, 1886, at a concert of the Philharmonic Society in St. James’s Hall, London, with the composer conducting Instrumentation: Three flutes (third doubling piccolo), two oboes and English horn, two clarinets and bass clarinet, two bassoons and contrabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones,

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S A I N T- S A Ë N S tuba, timpani, triangle, cymbals, bass drum, organ, piano (twohands and four-hands), and strings

“Monsieur Saint-Saëns possesses one of the most astonishing musical organizations I know of,” wrote the composer Charles Gounod of his fellow Parisian. “He is a musician armed with every weapon. He is a master of his craft as no one else is.” He might also have noted that SaintSaëns was a highly accomplished organist (who for two decades reigned in the loft at the Madeleine), a champion of forgotten earlier music and of contemporary composers, an inspiring teacher (who, as professor of the École Niedermeier in Paris, did much to shape the raw talents of Gabriel Fauré and André Messager), a gifted writer, a world traveler, and an avid and informed aficionado of such disciplines as Classical languages, astronomy, archaeology, philosophy, and even the occult sciences.

He started piano lessons at the age of two-and-a-half, soon began studying piano with a former pupil of Kalkbrenner’s and Mendelssohn’s, and embarked on composition and organ instruction at seven, by which time he was already performing Bach, Handel, and Mozart in public. In 1846, when he was ten, he played his formal debut recital at Paris’s Salle Pleyel, with a program that included piano concertos by Mozart and Beethoven. The applause was resounding, so he topped off the event by offering to play any of Beethoven’s piano sonatas from memory, as an encore. “He knows everything, but lacks inexperience,” lamented his friend Hector Berlioz.

The last of Saint-Saëns’ completed symphonies (not counting an early one not blessed with an opus number), the Third was composed at the behest of the Philharmonic Society of London, which at that time was conducted by Sir Arthur Sullivan (of “Gilbert &” fame). In August 1883, the orchestra’s secretary expressed the wish that Saint-Saëns 36

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might come to London the following year “either to play one of your concertos, or to compose a new one and play it, or to play a concerto by some other master, whichever you prefer; but I need scarcely add, they would prefer you to appear in one of your own compositions.” Talk soon turned instead to the possibility of a new symphony, and by March, Saint-Saëns was far enough along in his planning to inform the orchestra of the new work’s instrumentation (“there are no harps, happily”), that it would be cast in two movements (in that regard mirroring his coeval Fourth Piano Concerto and Violin Sonata No. 1), that the symphony would be difficult, that “this devil of a symphony” had moved up in his mind by a semitone (“it didn’t want to stay in B minor, and is now in C minor”), and that one “aggravation” would be that the piano part would involve one player at first and two later (“Happily, pianists are not rare in our epoch”). On May 18, 1886, Saint-Saëns wrote from London to his publisher, Jacques Durand: “We have sight-read the symphony. I was right: it is really terribly challenging.” But the premiere went well the next day, and the composer followed up with a glowing report: “The Symphony enjoyed a colossal success, spiced up by just enough opposition to make the success more intense.”

A Touching Dedication Saint-Saëns decided to dedicate his Third Symphony to Franz Liszt, who was by then a grand old man of music. On receiving this information, Liszt responded on June 19, 1886: Very dear friend, Happy in the friendship you have so often shown to me, I express to you my heartfelt gratitude. The success of your symphony in London gives me great pleasure, and it will continue in a crescendo in Paris and elsewhere.

For any dedication I would ask you simply to inscribe my name. I must content myself with writing just the same thing beneath these lines due to the weakness of my vision.

With much devotion and cordial friendship, Franz Liszt But Saint-Saëns did not follow Liszt’s request precisely. Liszt died on July 31, and when the Third Symphony appeared in print that November, it was instead headed with the words “A la Mémoire de Franz Liszt.”.

—JMK

The prominent use of the organ has earned this piece the nickname Organ Symphony, a rubric never sanctioned by the composer. It is, in fact, a bit misleading, since French composers composed a good many pieces that were titled “organ symphonies”; these were not orchestral works at all but rather big-boned, multi-movement pieces for solo organ. Saint-Saëns recognized that requiring an organ could limit performance possibilities, since many concert halls lacked them, but he was perfectly content with the idea of a small organ being brought in for the occasion—and in fact suggested specifically that solution for a performance by the Concerts Colonne in Paris. He briefly considered allowing the use of a harmonium as an option, but after hearing the organ at the London premiere, he told Durand that such a substitution must be ruled out as insufficient.

JAMES M. KELLER James M. Keller is the longtime Program Annotator of the San Francisco Symphony and was formerly Program Annotator of the New York Philharmonic and a staff writer-editor at The New Yorker. The author of Chamber Music: A Listener’s Guide (Oxford University Press), he is writing a sequel volume about piano music.

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ARRIVAL FROM SWEDEN: THE MUSIC OF ABBA N O V E M B E R 1 - 2 , 2 0 2 4 , 8 : 0 0 P. M .

ALEXANDER MICKELTHWATE, CONDUCTOR

Program will be announced from the stage

THIS CONCERT IS GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY:

DR. MARGARET FREEDE OWENS In loving memory of my parents Dr. Henry and Josephine Freede

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A B B A

ARRIVAL FROM SWEDEN THE ORIGINAL PRODUCTION EST 1995 The 10-12 piece band ARRIVAL from Sweden in the production THE MUSIC OF ABBA was founded

by Vicky Zetterberg-Norbäck and the ABBA original musician Rutger Gunnarsson in 1995 in Gothenburg, Sweden and very soon became one of the world’s most popular and most selling ABBA show bands. Since the start in 1995 the band has toured in over 80 countries, done almost 120 successful USA tours, played with over 120 Symphony Orchestras all over the world and has appeared in several TV and radio shows all over the world. Selling out arenas seated up to 50 000 people. Millions of tickets sold.

ARRIVAL from Sweden in the production “The Music of ABBA” has sold out arenas and venues all over the world since 1995 and is the absolute best and most authentic ABBA show there is. Hits like: “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Does Your Mother Know,” “Take A Chance,” “SOS,” “The Winner Takes It All,” “Super Trouper,” “Money Money Money,” “Waterloo,” “Honey Honey,” “Fernando,” “Chiquitita,” “Knowing Me Knowing You,” “Thank You For The Music,” “Lay All Your Love On Me,” “Gimme Gimme Gimme” and many more are delivered with such accuracy that it’s hard to believe that it’s not the real ABBA on stage.

ARRIVAL from Sweden is the only group that has been given a previously unreleased ABBA song directly from Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA. The song “Just A Notion” was released by ARRIVAL from Sweden in 1999 and was yet again released by the original ABBA in 2021 on their latest record “Voyage.”

This production has all the features a great ABBA show needs: lovely costumes, extremely talented musicians, and breathtaking singers. Millions of people all around the world celebrate this show as the best ABBA show in the world; in fact, this is the only ABBA show the world needs. This production is the closest you will ever get to see ABBA! Musical arrangements by ARRIVAL From Sweden, ABBA string arranger and bass player, the late, Mr. Rutger Gunnarsson and the famous arranger Tommy Hansson, made after ABBA original arrangements.

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Maestro CONCEPTS FROM THE

FROM THE HIGHLANDS N O V E M B E R

Although I’ve never visited the Highlands of Scotland, conducting the BBC Scotland in Glasgow left a lasting impression on me. Descending into Glasgow felt surprisingly like coming home—an unexpected yet profound experience.

My family hails from the Sheffield area a bit farther south, but who knows what connections we might share.

We’ll kick off the concert with the powerful and popular “Highland Cathedral,” featuring bagpipes and orchestra, evoking honor and ancient traditions.

Next, we’ll journey to England with Elgar’s Cello Concerto, a piece made famous by Jacqueline du Pré—a true classic.

After intermission, we’ll perform Mendelssohn’s dark and beautiful Scottish Symphony. Inspired by his visit to Scotland in 1829, Mendelssohn wrote, “In the deep twilight we went today to the palace where Queen Mary lived and loved... I think I have found there the beginning of my Scottish Symphony.”

It’s a remarkable work that captures the essence of Scotland beautifully. Don’t miss this enchanting concert!

For a deeper understanding of concert programming, please, join Maestro Mickelthwate for his Preconcert Talk at 7pm in the auditorium. Open seating.

2 0 2 4

•

8 : 0 0

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CLASSICS

This season, we’re celebrating our “classical” repertoire—music that is tried and true, resonating deeply with audiences over time and embodying a deeply romantic spirit, cherished by many. Join us as we explore these beloved classics!

FROM THE HIGHLANDS

1 6 ,

ALEXANDER MICKELTHWATE, CONDUCTOR

JONATHAN RUCK, CELLO

BRUCE ROBERTSON, BAGPIPES

0:07 KORB & ROEVER .... “Highland Cathedral,” for Bagpipes and Orchestra Bruce Robertson, bagpipes 0:30 ELGAR ........................ Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85

Adagio—Moderato Allegro molto Adagio Allegro, ma non troppo

Jonathan Ruck, cello Intermission 0:40 MENDELSSOHN.......Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56, Scottish

Andante con moto—Allegro un poco agitato Vivace non troppo Adagio Allegro vivacissimo—Allegro maestoso assai

[There are no breaks between movements.]

THIS CONCERT IS GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY:

CLEMENTS FOODS FOUNDATION – ROBERT AND SODY CLEMENTS OKCPHIL SPOTLIGHT SCHOOL: Putnam City North

Listen to a broadcast of this performance on KUCO 90.1 FM on Wednesday, December 12, at 8 pm and Saturday, December 14, at 8 am on “Performance Oklahoma”. Simultaneous internet streaming is also available during the broadcast.

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JONATHAN RUCK American cellist Jonathan Ruck maintains a multifaceted career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral musician and pedagogue. Praised for his “virtuosic command” and “full-bodied tone,” he has performed throughout North America, Europe, Australia and the Caribbean. Festival appearances include recent engagements at the Oregon Bach Festival, Sanibel Island Festival, OK Mozart, Unruly Music, and as principal cellist of the International Chamber Orchestra of Puerto Rico. Jonathan currently serves as the principal cellist of the Oklahoma City Philharmonic.

An avid chamber musician, Jonathan Ruck is a core member of Brightmusic, Oklahoma City’s resident chamber music ensemble. He has performed as a guest cellist with the American Chamber Players and Penderecki String Quartet and given recent world-premiere performances of chamber works by Christopher Theofanidis and Sydney Corbett. As a founding member of the Dubinsky String Quartet, Jonathan was a prizewinner in the Fischoff and Coleman national chamber music competitions.

Jonathan Ruck joined the University of Oklahoma School of Music faculty in 2006. Previous appointments include serving as the teaching assistant to both Janos Starker and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and a visiting professorship at the Depauw University School of Music. During the summer, he has enjoyed teaching on the faculties of the Fresno Summer Orchestra and Opera Academy (FOOSA), the Zodiac Festival in Southern France and the Indiana University Summer String Academy. In 2018, he founded the University of Oklahoma Summer String Academy and continues as its director. Graduates of Jonathan Ruck’s cello studio have been accepted to continue their studies at schools such as Juilliard, Indiana University, Eastman, Oberlin, and the Cleveland Institute of Music, and can be found in ensembles and on college and pre-college faculties throughout the world.

Jonathan Ruck currently lives in Norman, Oklahoma with his wife, violinist Katrin Stamatis, and their two daughters, Arianna and Galia.

BRUCE ROBERTSON Bruce Robertson is a native of OKC having been born a first generation American after his parents immigrated from Glasgow, Scotland. Bruce began learning the bagpipes at age 6 under the tutelage of his Father, John Robertson and then received extensive tuition from top instructors from Canada and Scotland. Having been a successful soloist, Bruce began concentrating his efforts on the arena of pipe bands, having played with the most successful pipe band in the United States for the last 30 plus years out of Houston, TX, during which time they achieved most of the top prizes in pipe bands, including numerous U.S. Open Pipe Band Championships, North American Championships and continued successful trips to Scotland culminating in a World Pipe Band Championship. Bruce is also founder of Westminster Pipe Band in OKC, which has also been very successful throughout the US & Canada and continues to this day. Bruce is an attorney in Oklahoma City with the firm Hall & Ludlam. Bruce’s wife Laura and daughters Ally and Claire have been supportive of his piping over the years in spite of enduring endless late night practice sessions.

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KO R B “Highland Cathedral,” for Bagpipes and Orchestra Michael Korb and Uli Roever First Performance on this series Michael Korb, Born: 1957, Residing: Berlin, Germany Ulrich (“Uli”) Roever, Born: 1934, Died: 1997 Work composed: 1982

“Highland Cathedral” is a cultural phenomenon—or a feallsanachd cultarach if you speak Scots Gaelic, or a kulturelles Phänomen if you are German, both of which are relevant in this case. Although the melody has grown immensely popular in Scotland—and, indeed, far beyond Caledonian borders—it was composed in 1982 by two Germans, Michael Korb and Ulich (“Uli”) Roever.

Korb was drawn to the sound of Scottish bagpipes while growing up in Germany. After graduating from high school, in 1975, he moved to Berlin and immediately signed up for lessons from a pipe-master associated with a Scottish regiment based in that city. Before long, he headed to Edinburgh to take daily lessons from Paddy Atkinson, at that time an 80-year-old luminary among pipe-masters.

Practicing the bagpipes has some built-in challenges, and Korb explains on his website that his work took place “during the day in his gazebo and in the evening (because of the neighbors) in the forest.” After achieving impressive virtuosity, he returned to Germany, “tried to make experiments with the bagpipes,” and made the rounds of televised talent shows. In 1979, under the name “Mike Korb,” he released a bagpiping disco-style single of the songs “Dancing Queen of Aberdeen” and, on the B-side, “Happy Scotch-Man.” About that time, he met Uli Roever, a much-respected German composer, arranger, and sound engineer who had

founded the Compost Tonstudio Berlin, the city’s leading recording studio. “We wrote a lot of tunes but ‘Highland Cathedral’ was a fantastically successful tune,” Korb said.

“We were surprised every year about the things that happened with ‘Highland Cathedral.’ A lot of people think that it is a Scottish tune—we had to create a website to let people see that it was not. And a lot of people think that it is traditional, but it’s actually quite new. ... We were looking for a title of the tune, and I thought ‘Highland Cathedral,’ because Scotland is very beautiful, and it’s like the majestic landscape and so on.” In fact, that was not always the piece’s name. When Korb and Roever released it as a recorded single, again with a disco beat, it carried the title “By the Right-Quick-March.”

From there it set out to conquer the world. It was first performed by a pipe-and-drum group by the Royal Highland Fusiliers in Berlin, but it was quickly taken up by similar ensembles in Scotland and elsewhere. Its fame was boosted immeasurably when it was featured in the 1994 movie Four Weddings and a Funeral and when pop star Madonna selected it to be performed at her wedding at a Scottish castle in 2000. It became a favorite number at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, the ne plus ultra for bagpipes aficionados, and a stand-by for performance at athletic events, community gatherings, weddings, and funerals. The Scottish Rugby Union floated the idea of having it replace “Flower of Scotland” as its unofficial song. Inevitably, its title began to circulate in Scotland’s unending debate about selecting a national anthem.

There being no official national anthem, the songs “Scotland the Brave” and “Flower of Scotland” are regularly used on requisite occasions, but the latter is viewed as problematic due to its anti-English lyrics. Of more traditional numbers, “Scots Wha Hae” is widely viewed as too aggressive and “Auld Lang Syne” as specific to moments of farewell. In CONTINUED ON PAGE 46

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2006, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted an online opinion poll in which 41% of 10,000 voters did support “Flower of Scotland,” followed by “Scotland the Brave” and, in third place, “Highland Cathedral.” But “Highland Cathedral” was working with a disadvantage; it had no words. That was quickly remedied, and by now various competing lyrics have been proposed by poets in Scotland and in Germany— though the national anthem question remains undecided.

“We would certainly give our blessing to this becoming the national song of Scotland,” said Roever’s widow, “because it has touched so many people in so many ways. I think that is the great legacy of my husband—his music was capable of moving people.”

E LG A R Cello Concerto in E minor, Op. 85 Edward Elgar First Performance: 2/7/1967 Cello: Jacqueline du Pré Last Performance: 2/7/2015 Cello: Julie Albers Born: June 2, 1857, at Broadheath, Worcestershire, England Died: February 23, 1934, in Worcester, England Work composed: From March 23, 1918, to August 3, 1919 Work dedicated: To the composer’s friends Sydney and Frances Colvin Work premiered: October 26, 1919, at Queen’s Hall, London, with the composer conducting the London Symphony and Felix Salmond as soloist Instrumentation: Two flutes and piccolo (the last ad. lib.), two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba (ad. lib.), timpani, and strings, in addition to the solo cello

Edward Elgar is an essential representative of the Edwardian Era, the late-Imperialist moment of British 46

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history named after Edward VII, who on July 4, 1904, turned the composer into Sir Edward. The son of an organist in Worcester, Elgar deputized for his father in church lofts, picked up a bit of instruction on violin, served as bandmaster at the Worcester County Lunatic Asylum, and, in 1882, acceded to the position of music director of the Worcester Amateur Instrumental Music Society. By the mid-1890s he was deemed a name to reckon with, and in 1900 his oratorio The Dream of Gerontius established him as Britain’s leading composer, a perfect embodiment of the comfortably plush, vigorously healthy spirit of the Edwardian moment.

That world effectively ceased to exist by the end of World War I, and Elgar spent much of the War years in neardepression, mourning not only the devastation that had overtaken Europe but also how far his sympathies lay from the world as it had evolved. By 1919, when his Cello Concerto was unveiled, such new names as Stravinsky, Schoenberg, and Bartók had displaced Elgar’s as the flashpoints of musical excitement, and he had become politely tolerated by the British concert world as little more than a relic. He was regarded as so irrelevant that even as major a work as his Cello Concerto, which he would conduct himself, was accorded only a modicum of rehearsal time before its premiere. Elgar stood waiting as the orchestra’s new music director, the 37-year-old Albert Coates, spent nearly all the rehearsal time ironing out the kinks of the pieces he would lead in the concert.

Elgar did his best to ready the orchestra for his new work, and although his wife urged him to simply withdraw from the concert (and take his piece with him), Elgar insisted on following through for the sake of the solo cellist, Felix Salmond, who had labored diligently to prepare his part. The performance went poorly, as could have been predicted, but at least the audience gave Elgar a warm ovation, if only out of respect for his status as a senior eminence. Just days after the concert, Elgar’s wife fell gravely ill. Following her death five months later he found it impossible to complete any more major works, although he did carry out a good deal of work on a Third Symphony, enough to allow its sketches to be filled out into performable shape long after his death.

With the passage of years it becomes less important to listeners that Elgar’s scores of this period stood so far from the cutting edge of their time. In fact, he enjoyed an extraordinary surge of creativity as the War reached its conclusion, and in a very brief span of time he achieved not only the Cello Concerto but also three of his other greatest works, all in the minor mode: his E-minor Violin Sonata, Op. 82 (1918); E-minor String Quartet, Op. 83 (1918);

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Despite the failure of its premiere, the concerto became appreciated as one of the finest cello concertos ever written. The conductor Sir Adrian Boult rightly observed that in this piece the composer had “struck a new kind of music, with a more economical line, terser in every way” from the effusions of his earlier years. One wonders what might have lain ahead if Elgar had continued composing as industriously as he did in 1918-19.

From the Premiere The critic Ernest Newman, writing in the London Observer, presented a review of the concert in which Elgar unveiled his Cello Concerto. Although he was miffed by what he considered the defective quality of the orchestra’s playing, he discerned much beauty in the concerto, and particularly noted the care Elgar had taken to balance the solo part against the orchestra, even if that aspect had failed in the performance: This scale of colour it has obviously been Elgar’s preoccupation to achieve. Some of the colour is meant to be no more than a vague wash against which the solo ’cello defines itself. On Monday the orchestra was often virtually inaudible, and when just audible was merely a muddle. No one seemed to have any idea of what it was the composer wanted.

The work itself is lovely stuff, very simple—that pregnant simplicity that has come upon Elgar’s music in the past couple of years—but with a profound wisdom and beauty underlying its simplicity ... the realization in tone of a fine spirit’s lifelong wistful brooding upon the loveliness of earth.

—JMK

MENDEL S SOHN

and A-minor Piano Quintet, Op. 84 (1918-19). As it happened, Salmond participated in the premieres of the Quartet and Quintet, as well as serving as soloist in the Concerto.

One of the most distinguished cellists of his time, he was especially noted as a chamber music interpreter; and after settling in the United States in the 1920s he taught at both Juilliard and the Curtis Institute, numbering among his pupils such notables as Bernard Greenhouse (a member of the Beaux Arts Trio for 32 years) and Leonard Rose (who played in the New York Philharmonic from 1943 to 1951, serving as principal cello beginning in 1944).

Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56, Scottish Felix Mendelssohn First Performance: 11/10/1968 Conductor: Ray Luke Last Performance: 11/21/1982 Conductor: Jorge Mester Born: February 3, 1809, in Hamburg, Germany Died: November 4, 1847, in Leipzig, Germany Work composed: Mostly from late 1840 to January 20, 1842, then revised slightly after its premiere Work dedicated: To “H.M. Queen Victoria of Great Britain and Ireland” Work premiered: March 3, 1842, with the composer conducting the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; the next performance, on March 17 under the direction of Karl Bach, included Mendelssohn’s revisions and was therefore the first airing of the work in its final form, Instrumentation: Two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, timpani, and strings

Felix Mendelssohn grew up in the most fortunate of circumstances. Thanks to his family’s wealth and its penchant for attracting an entourage of intellectual and creative types, the budding composer enjoyed such amenities as a string orchestra that could try out his new compositions when he conducted them during at-home musicales. Before he reached his 15th birthday, he had composed 12 so-called String Symphonies (plus a single movement of a 13th), delightful pieces that served their purpose and were then largely forgotten, remaining unpublished until after his death. Mendelssohn was no beginner when he embarked on his first full-scale symphony, in 1824—a Symphony in C minor (Op. 11) that was soon overshadowed by his later symphonies: his Symphony No. 5, Reformation, in 1830 (revised in 1832); Symphony No. 4, Italian, in 1833 (revised in 1834); CONTINUED ON PAGE 48

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Symphony No. 2, Lobgesang (Song of Praise), in 1840; and Symphony No. 3, Scottish, in 1842.

The numbering of Mendelssohn’s symphonies confusingly reflects their publication dates rather than the order in which they were composed. The Scottish was therefore the last of the five “mature” symphonies he completed. Though he did not embark on its composition in any sustained way until 1840, he first thought about writing such a piece in 1829, when he toured the British Isles in the company of Karl Klingemann, a friend who had left Berlin for London to serve as Secretary to the Hanoverian Legislation. On March 26, 1829, Mendelssohn wrote him a breathless letter announcing that he expected to arrive in London in less than a month and proclaiming in capital letters, “NEXT AUGUST I AM GOING TO SCOTLAND, with a rake for folksongs, an ear for the lovely, fragrant countryside, and a heart for the bare legs of the natives.” Following a stint in the cultural swirl of London, Mendelssohn and Klingemann left in July on their journey to Edinburgh, a long and sometimes arduous trip by stagecoach that Mendelssohn documented through adept pencil drawings and penand-ink sketches. On July 26 they arrived in Edinburgh, and a few days later they set out on a tour of the Scottish Highlands, which took them as far west as the town of Oban and the Atlantic islands of Staffa and Iona, and then brought them south to Glasgow and back to Cumberland, England on August 15. They reached London again on September 6.

His letters home were filled with wonder. His report from Birnam Wood, on August 3, was typical in its almost painterly description: “Yesterday was a lovely day, we passed from rock to rock, many waterfalls, beautiful valleys, with rivers, dark woods and heath with the red heather in blossom.” Or from Inverary, on August 9: “Our host’s beautiful daughter in her black curls looked out like a sign over the signboard into the harbor, in which the newest herrings are swimming about all alive at nine o’clock in the morning, and at a quarter past nine are served up fried with the coffee. ... The Duke of Argyll’s castle proudly looked forth from between the lofty trees; and from the tops of the surrounding hills the green trees held a colloquy with their relations below, who were already appointed to the navy and swam about in the water.”

Though the composer would visit England ten times counting that first trip, he would never again go to Scotland. But the three-weeks he spent there in 1829 left a deep impression which was made most immediately evident by his composing the concert overture The Hebrides (also known as the Fingal’s Cave Overture).

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H I G H L A N D S

Already during the trip he had fixed on the idea of commemorating Scotland through a symphony, and a decade years later he set about making good on his plan.

Though Mendelssohn does not draw on Scottish melodies in his score, listeners have been happy to hear its flavor as authentically Scottish in spirit, replete with pentatonic melodies, sparkling rhythms, and, in its fast movements, an infectious warmth of heart.

Mendelssohn Finds his Inspiration On July 30, 1829, Mendelssohn visited the Palace of Holyrood in Edinburgh and wrote this account to his family back in Berlin: In the evening twilight we went today to the palace where Queen Mary lived and loved; a little room is shown there with a winding staircase leading up to the door: up this way they came and found Rizzio in that dark corner, where they pulled him out, and three rooms off there is a dark corner, where they murdered him. The chapel close to it is now roofless, grass and ivy grow there, and at that broken altar Mary was crowned Queen of Scotland.

Everything round is broken and mouldering and the bright sky shines in. I believe I have found today in that old chapel the beginning of my Scottish Symphony.

At that point he jotted down 16 measures of music; and though he set them aside for another decade, they would indeed serve as the eventual opening of his Scottish Symphony.

—JMK

JAMES M. KELLER James M. Keller is the longtime Program Annotator of the San Francisco Symphony and was formerly Program Annotator of the New York Philharmonic and a staff writer-editor at The New Yorker. The author of Chamber Music: A Listener’s Guide (Oxford University Press), he is writing a sequel volume about piano music.

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